It has become a thing to make a New Year’s resolution. To decide to do something that you have never done or that you want to do better. Here are my thoughts on this tradition.
My very first thought on this is, it doesn’t work. Did you know that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit. How many days did it take you to already neglect your new resolution? To formulate a new habit takes more than a whim and a wish. It is going to take planning and die hard dedication.
Now, when did you decide on your resolution? Did you not really think about it until January 1st? How much planning and dedication do you think is in a snap decision resolution? Um, I would venture to guess, zero.
My second thought is, if this new task or things was that important to you, why did you wait until January 1st to implement it? Say you are one who thought about it in advance, why did you wait a month or more to start that new and amazing thing? I would then venture to ask if it was really that meaningful to you or did you spend all the time from when you thought of it until you “went live” with it to plan? If you answer yes, you planned from your decision until the live date of January 1st, then I wish you all the luck in accomplishing your new thing.
I will go out on a limb and guess that is not most people. Most think last minute of something that would be cool to accomplish and say that is their resolution for the new year. Good luck to you my simpleton friends. You are not likely to accomplish that goal. I’m not saying you can’t accomplish it, I’m just expressing my thought of lack of preparation and dedication as a red flag.
You may ask, how do I successfully make a plan to add a task or thing into my everyday life. I think there are many factors in this. What is your thought process behind it? What is the goal you would like to achieve? Is this goal feasible for where you are in your life? Is this a temporary task or something you would like to see as a permanent change or addition? Is this something that involves outside participation by others? Will this affect others around you such as spouse, children, extended family or pets? Do you have an award system established for reaching highlights towards this goal? Is it something that you tried and failed in your past? If so, why did it fail? Do you have a new plan for success?
When planning a successful venture, you must ask all these and other questions to weigh if this will be successful or not. In my opinion, don’t start something you are not willing and able to work through in the struggles and the ease. Every new task or thing will bring its challenges and temptations from time to time. The amount of dedication and will power you have will determine a degree of your success rate.
I saw a pole on a social media venue that asked others if they made a New Year’s resolution. Over 50% of this person’s followers claimed they did, in fact, resolve to make some change for the new year. Statistics published in the New York Post claimed that only 8% of people actually achieve the resolutions they set out with. 80% never accomplish them with many ditching them within 2 weeks! 55% of these goals are health related.
Health changes are not something that you can take lightly. They are definitely not something that is successful on a whim decision. These changes are lifelong habit changes that take many months of preparation, mindset, dedication and it greatly affects those around you. Many times it is adjusting the foods in the home. I don’t know about you, but I have four kids with very different personalities and eating habits. I do not keep all good foods in my home. For us, that is not practical with how on the go we are. We need quick easy to grab, on the go snacks that can be thrown into a bag on the way out the door. Are those foods the best foods for a forty something mother of four whose body has been through a few seasons of life? Probably not. What is the solution? For me it has been dehydrating produce to use on the go. Check out my post on dehydrating in the future!
How do you feel about “New Year’s Resolutions”. Have you jumped on that bandwagon and succeeded? Have you you tried and failed? If so, what do you think was your main downfall? I would love to hear from you in the comments!